Stack for furnaces



Jan. 27, 1948. w. G. YOUNG v 2,435,172

STACK FOR FURNACES Filed March 31, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 27, 1948. w. G. YOUNG STACK FOR"FURNACES Filed March 31, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 fnvenzor'l William Georzgel uzy W. G. YOUNG- STACKVFOR FURNACES Jan. 27, 1948'.

Filed March 31, 1945 ZASS, E 72 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 ZU 152.22?? George l aluy MM x /M41,

w. e. YOUNG 2,435,172

STA-CK FOR FURNACES Filed March 31, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Z 1 "BJXMMWXZJZ J. 27, 1194. w. G. YOUNG 2,435,172

STACK FOR'FURNACES Filed March 31, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 6AA, WY'MO Patented Jan. 27,1948

STACK FOR. FURNACES William George Young, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Chicago Fire Brick Company, a corporation of Illinois Application March 31, 1945, Serial No. 585,903

12 Claims. (Cl. 72-93) My invention relates to smoke stacks and more particularly to a stack fo furnaces.

It is the purpose of my invention to provide a smoke stack in which cumbersome weight is eliminated by avoiding cumulative load, thus requiring less foundation and providing a thin wall section by using supporting means having much greater strength per unit of weight than the refractory tile and the bricks usually employed for smoke stacks. The supporting means has adequate tensile strength as well as load bearing capacity and the brick and tile of the stack cooperate to give adequate stability against tipping of the stack.

In view of the fact that high temperatures are encountered in stacks of the character in which my invention is applied, it is necessary that suitable means be provided for cooling the stack, particularly the metallic framework, in order that the life thereof, and of the stack itself, be greatly lengthened. Furthermore, due to the cooling of the stack, the refractory material used in the stack is given a long life as compared with a stack that is not so cooled.

More particularly, my invention comprises a smoke stack that has a structural frame made up of metallic members, which supports spaced inner and outer walls to provide an air space between said walls from substantially the bottom to substantially the top of the stack, said space providing an air passage extending throughout substantially the height of the stack. Means is provided for creating a current or draft of cooling air substantially vertically of the stack through said passage, this being accomplished by providing air inlet openings leading from the outside air or atmosphere into said air chamber or space near the bottom thereof, and air outlet or discharge openings leading to the outer air near the top of the stack from said air passage.

Another feature of my invention is that any section of the inner refractory lining can be independently removed without aifecting any of the others, as each section is independently supported on the framework. Inasmuch as there would ordinarily be a difference in the coeificient of expansion of the wall members and the metallic framework, means is provided to allow for expansion and contraction, thus avoiding any possibility of distortion of the wall of the stack.

Furthermore, due to the character of structure used in the stack, high wind velocity is easily withstood because of the fact that the framework is sturdy and thoroughly supports the entire wall structure. Also, the erection of a stack made in accordance withmy invention is simpler than that of a stack which is supported from the bottom thereof, resulting in a cumulative load as the height of the stack increases.

Another advantage of a stack made in accordance with my invention is that it will withstand disaster, such as Windstorm or earthquake damage, much better than a stack that is not made in accordance with the principles of my invention.

An important feature of the invention is that while the metallic framework and outer wall are cooled, the inner wall providing the smoke passage is maintained at substantially a uniform temperature throughout its height, by insulating said wall from the air passage. This will increase the draft in the stack, while reducing maintenance expense. As each section of the stack is independent of all other sections thereof, any maintenance required will be reduced in cost.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear as a description of the drawing proceeds. I desire to haveit understood, however, that I do not intend to limit myself to the particular details shown and described except as defined in the claims.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a vertical elevational view of my improved stack, partly broken away;

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 on a somewhat larger scale than Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view of the framework as viewed from the inside thereof;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view on substantially the same scale as Fig. 2, taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the framework and a portion of the inner sectional wall structure;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view through the stack, partly broken away;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on a somewhat larger scale than Fig. 6 of the upper end portion of the stack;

Fig. 8 is a similar view to Fig. 7 of the lower end portion of the stack;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the stack at an offset in one of the vertical frame members;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a supporting bracket for the inner refractory wall members;

Fig. 11 is a similar view of an anchor casting for said inner wall members;

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of one of the inner refractory wall members;

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of one form of tile on said foundation are vertical frame members" or columns 22 which are preferably of an H cross section. It will be noted upon reference to Figs. 1 and 2 that the particular stack illustrated is polygonal in cross section; being shown as being hexagonal, although my invention can be applied to a circular stack or one of any other desired cross sectional shape. The columns 22 are located at the corners of the polygonal structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and are provided with inner and outer flanges 23 and 24, respectively, the flanges 23 being exposed onthe outer face of the stack. 7 V

Secured in any suitablemanner at regularly spaced intervals on said columns 22, as by means of the brackets 25, are the transverse horizontally extending channel members 26 upon which the sections of the outer wall structure are supported. The outer wall structure may be made of tile or ordinary bricksor of any other suitable material that can be-sectionally mounted on said channel members 25, said wall sections being indicated generally by the numeral 21 in the drawings. Upon reference to Fig. 1, it will be noted that the columns of the framework are gradually reduced in size in view of the decreasing load thereon from bottom to top of the stack. In Fig. 9, the joint structure between a lower heavier column and an upper lighter column is shown. Platelike members 28 and 29 are provided for connecting the flanges of the upper and lower column members at such a joint, a filler member 30 being provided between the platelike member 29 and the flange 23 of the smaller of the two column members on the outer side of the stack to provide a rigid joint at the offset thus provided in the outer wall of the stack. Angle brackets 3i and 32 connect the column members and the web portion 33 of one of the channel members 26 at such a joint in order to thoroughly brace the structure in all directions and to, at the same time, mount one of said transverse channel members 26 of the framework in position.

The flanges 24 of the columns 22 have brackets 34 fixed thereto at regularly spaced intervals by Welding or otherwise, said brackets having obliquely extending end portions. 35 havingapertures 35 for securing the transverse inner frame members 31 thereto by means of bolts 38 or similar securing members. The transverse members 31 constitute the horizontal supporting members for the sections of the inner wall of the stack and may be castings, each of said members 31 being provided with a series of longitudinally extending aligned slots 39 and with laterally extending longitudinal ribs 40, 4|, 42 and 4-3; the ribs 40 and 42. and the ribs-4| and 43, lying opposite each other in the form of the invention shown.

Mounted between the horizontal supporting members 31 are vertically extending retainer members 44. said retainer members having a web portion 45 and flanges 43 and 41 thereon. The flanges 46 and 41 extend beyond the web portion .45 at the ends of the retainer members 4 to provide ears 48 and 49 on the opposite ends of said retainer members, a transverse flange 50 being also provided at the end of each Web portion 45, thus providing a, seat at each end of each retainer member 44 that receives the bottom and top edges of the horizontal supporting members between which said retainer members are mounted. The flanges 41 are provided with cutaway portions or notches "5i therein to provide a reduced portion in each of said flanges 41 for a purpose to be described below.

Suitable spacing blocks 52 are provided between the retainer members 31 and the obliquely extending ends 35 of the brackets 34 so as to properly space the horizontal supporting members 31 from the flanges 24 of the columns 22. The

framework of the stack is preferably provided with suitable bracing means comprising the diagonally extending members 53 secured to the channel members 26. While a certain type of bracing is shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, obviously this can be varied as'may be found desirable.

Adjustably mounted in the slots 39 of the horizontal supporting members 31 are supporting bracket 54, one of said brackets being shown in detail in Fig. 10. Each of said brackets has a flat shelf portion 55 terminating in an upturned flange or lip 56. Each of said supporting brackets is provided with a reduced portion 51 and has a shoulder at 58 which engages with the rib 40 on the horizontal supporting member 31 so as to seat thereon. Said bracket further comprises a vertically extending portion 59 extending from the shoulder 58 and terminates in a flanged horizontally extending portion 60 providing a head 6! thereon, said head being greater in vertical than horizontal extent so that the same will pass through the slot 39 by turning the same to a position substantially at ninety degrees to that shown in Fig. 5. whereby the head portion 6i may be inserted through the slot and, after being turned to the position shown in Fig. 5, will be mounted in position so that itwill be prevented from disengagement from the horizontal retaining member 31. The supporting bracket is further provided with a rounded corner at 62 and suitably braced by means of the Web portion 63. Said bracket 54 is preferablycast of a suitable alloy capable of withstanding the temperatures to which it will be subjected in the stack. It is, of course, to be understood that one of said brackets 54 is mounted in each of the slots 39, certain of said brackets being omitted from Fig. 5 for the sake of clearness.

Mounted on the vertical retaining members 44 are anchor brackets 64. Said anchor members are also preferably cast of similar material to the members 54 and are provided with a plurality of prongs or cars 65 which terminate in vertically extending lugs 66, said lugs extending upwardly and downwardly beyond the body portion of the member 64. Said anchor members are further provided with flanges 61 at the opposite end thereof to the prongs 65 and a slot 68 is provided between said flanges 61 which is wide enough so that the anchor casting may be passed through the notches or openings 5| at the reduced portion member 44 with which the same is associated."

Said anchor members 64: are thus: slidably connected with the retainer members 44 but interlock therewith so as to prevent any movement of the same except longitudinally of the members 44.

The inner wall is preferably made of tiles or blocks of refractory material ll, one of which is shown in in perspective in Fig. 12. Said blocks H are preferably shouldered to provide extensions l2 and 13 on the opposite ends of said blocks that are adapted to overlap when said blocks or refractory tiles are in position in the stack. Said refractory members H are further provided with longitudinally extending grooves 14 in the upper and lower faces thereof.

In assemblying one of the inner wall sections, the bottommost row of tiles or refractory members H is first placed in position on the brackets 54, the upwardly extending lips or flanges 56 being seated in the groove 14. It will be noted, however, upon reference to Figs. 5, 7 and 8, that the upstanding lip or flange 56 does not extend to the bottom of the groove 14, but that the bottom face of the tile ll rests on the platform 55. The spacing of the horizontal supporting members 31, and thus of the shelflike portions 55, is such relative to the vertical dimensions of the tiles H that a slight space will exist between the top faces of the uppermost tiles H of one inner wall section and the bottom faces of the bottommost tiles H of the next higher wall section mounted on said brackets 54, which is filled with a refractory cement as indicated at 15, said cement extending into the groove 14 running along the top of the tiles ll of the lower section at this point. This provides an expansion joint inasmuch as the shelflike portions 55 of the brackets are spaced from the uppermost tiles of the lower wall section and the top edges of the flanges or lips 58 are spaced from the bottoms of the groves i l in the bottommost tiles of the upper wall section, as will be obvious from Figs. 7 and 8.

After the lower row of refractory tiles H has been placed in position, anchor castings 84 are assembled with the vertical retainer members 44 with the downwardly extending portions of the lugs 86 thereon mounted in the grooves 14 in the top faces of the tiles ll, and after all said brackets have been thus assembled with the bottom row of tiles of said wall section, the next row of tiles is placed in position with the groove 14 in the lower faces thereof receiving the upwardly extending portions of the lugs 68 of the anchor castings 84. This is continued with the anchor castings and tiles until the desired height of wall section is built up, reaching to the next higher horizontally extending supporting member 31, whereupon the same procedure is followed with the succeeding wall section. It will be obvious that with the arrangement of supporting and anchoring members thus provided, any uneven expansion of the parts of the wall will be taken care of by the connections between the various metallic parts and the connections between said metallic parts and the refractory wall made up of the tiles or blocks H.

It will be noted that the inner wall made up of the refractory members II is mounted in spaced relation to the outer wall made up of the sections 21 to thus provide a space 18 that runs from the foundation 29 to the cap tiles Tl provided on the stack. The space 18 provides a vertically extending air shaft or cooling conduit extending substantially from the bottom to the top of the stack, and means is provided for circulating air therethrough by creating an updraft through the space 16, air inlet openings 18 at suitable points near the bottom of the stack being provided in the outer wall, and air outlet or discharg openings 19 being provided adjacent the top end of the outer wall, said air inlet and outlet openings leading respectively from the outside air or atmosphere to the space or chamber 16, and from said space or chamber to the outside air or atmosphere. Preferably, suitable frame members 89 and BI define the openings 18 and 19. The spacing and number of the openings l8 and 19 may be varied as desired and as may be found necessary to get the desired quantity of air flow through, the cooling passage provided by the space 16. It will be noted that substantially all of the metallic members either lie within or extend into the space 18 and being all of heat conducting material, said members will thus all be cooled by the air flowing through the passage 16 and will not reach a temperature, no matter how high the temperature of the products of combustion passing through the stack may be, that will be harmful to any of the metallic parts of the frame or the supporting and retaining means of the refractory members or tiles H forming the inner wall of the stack.

The bottommost section 21 of the outer wall may be mounted directly on the foundation 29 or on the platelike member 2|, and an angl member 82 is provided for securing the columns to said platelike member and to properly align the bottommost wall sections. Additional angle brackets 83 may be provided for securing said columns to said bottom plates 2|. The outer wall may be made, if desired, of the tiles shown in Fig. 13, which are merely rectangular block-like members 84 having openings 85 therein and a web portion 86 between said openings 85. Said outer wall is also provided with an access opening which is indicated at 81, provided with walls 88 that separate this opening from the space 16, a door 89 being provided leading to the access opening 81, said door being mounted in a suitable frame 90. Similarly, a breech opening may be provided which is also separated from the chamber 16 and to which access is had through a door 9| mounted in a suitable frame 92.

At the upper end of the stack, the outer wall is preferably provided with a stepped portion 93 on which an inverted channel member 94 is mounted which supports the cap blocks 11 which are mounted on the I-beam 95 secured to the channel member 94 so as to prevent any lateral shifting of said blocks.

The uppermost inner wall section is mounted in a somewhat different manner than the other wall sections, due to the fact that the vertical retainer members 44 are omitted. The tiles H of said uppermost wall section are provided with grooves 14 in the vertical faces thereof, which receive lugs or ears 96 on the tie-back brackets 91. The brackets 54 are provided on the horizontal supporting member 31 at the bottom of said uppermost inner wall section and cooperate with grooves in the bottom faces of said tiles 1| in the same manner as previously described. The brackets 91 are, however, also mounted on said uppermost members 31, having spaced dependign flanges 98 and 99 defining a groove in which the top edge of the member 31 seats to thus hold said member 91 in position on the member 31. The uppermost wall section is only made up of one row of the refractory members H, as shown in the drawings. The cap members H are, of course, mounted on said members H as well as on the members 94 at the top of the outer wall of. said stack.

An insulating lining I is provided on the outer face of the inner wall made up of the refractory members H, which not only aids in cooling the metal framework but also keeps the inner wall uniformly hot throughout its height, increasing the draft in the stack, said lining is made up of solid blocks or sheets extending from one member 64 to the next adjacent one.

In Fig. 14 of the drawings I show a slight modification wherein the outer wall is made of large sections of sheet 'material. Any suitable weather resisting material whether metallic or non-metallic may be used. It provides a much lighter contstruction.

A smoke stack is thusprovided which is made up of a metallic framework upon which outer wall sections and inner wall sections are independently mounted and an air space or chamber is provided between said inner and outer walls of the stack, to which all of the metallic parts are exposed and in which a continuous flow of cooling air exists to continuously cool the metallic parts of the stack, thus preventing any damage to any of the frame portions or supporting means for the inner refractory wall, clue to the heat existing in the smoke passage of the stack which is transferred to the refractory blocks H.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A stack of the character described, comprising a framework and inner and outer walls supported by said framework, said walls being spaced to provide a passage therebetween, said framework lying principally within said passage.

2. A stack of the character described, comprising a framework and inner and outer walls supported by said framework, said walls being spaced substantially from bottom to top thereof to provide a vertical air passage in said stack, said stack being provided with inlet means for admitting air from externally of said stack thereto adjacent the bottom thereof and with outlet means for discharging air therefrom adjacent the top thereof, and being fluid tight between said inlet and outlet means.

3. A stack of the character described, comprising a framework and inner and outer walls on opposite sides of and supported by said framework, said stack being provided with means for.

cooling said framework.

4. A stack of the character described, comprising a framework and inner and outer walls on opposite sides of and supported by said framework, said walls being spaced to provide a passage therebetween containing the major, portion of said framework and said stack being provided with means for circulating a cooling medium in said passage in contact "with said framework.

5. A stack comprising a metallic framework,

6. A stack of the character described, comprising a framework and inner and outer walls sectionally supported by said framework, said walls being spaced to provide a passage therebetween, and said framework lying within the outer periphery of said outer wall and having portions extending into said passage.

7. A stack polygonal in cross section having vertically extending frame members at the corners thereof, an outer wall having sections mounted between and supported by said vertical frame members, transverse frame members on the inner sides of said vertical frame members and an inner wall of refractory material mounted inwardly of said transverse frame members and supported thereby, said walls defining an air space which said vertical and transverse frame members traverse.

8. A stack of the character described, comprising a framework and inner and outer walls sectionally supported by said framework, said walls being spaced to provide a passage therebetween, said stack being provided with expansion joints between the sections of said inner wall.

9. A stack of the character described, com-: prising a framework and inner and outer walls supported by and confining said framework, said stack being provided with means for cooling said framework, and means for insulating said inner wall from said cooling means.

10. A stack comprising a metallic framework, an inner refractory wall supported by said framework and providing a barrier between said framework and the passage for the products of combustion in said stack, insulation on the outer face of said refractory wall, and an outer wall spaced therefrom, the major portion of said framework being exposed to said passage and lying outwardly of said insulation said stack being provided with means for admitting air at atmospheric temperature to the space between said walls and discharging heated air therefrom.

11. A stack of the character described, comprising a framework and inner and outer walls supported by said framework, said walls being spaced to provide a passage therebetween, said framework lying principally within said passage, and a cap closing the upper end of said passage supported by said framework.

12. A stack of the character described, comprising a framework and inner and outer walls supported by said framework, said walls being spaced to provide a passage therebetween, said framework lying principally within said passage, and comprising vertical frame members mounted in said outer wall and projecting into said passage, and supporting means for said inner wall carried by said vertical frame members and mounted in said passage.

WILLIAM GEORGE YOUNG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

